Method of making threaded locking devices



- Oct. 28, 1947. Q E

I METHOD OF-MAKING THREADED LOCKING DEVICES Original Filed March'7, 1940El. INVENTORI j Ham/P0 11/ 10c:

. P I fiTORNEY Patented Oct. 28, 1947 METHOD OF MAKINGTHREADED LOCKINGDEVICES Richard W. Luce, Southport, Conn.

Application February 5, 1943, Serial No. 474,765

7 Claims.

, 1 The invention herein disclosed relates to a method of making athreaded locking device of the type disclosed in my co-pendingapplication,

Serial No. 322,650, filed March 7, 1940, for Threaded locking device,and this application constitutes a division of that application.

An object of this invention is to provide a method for making lock nutsin which the locking force is exerted by a resilient element normallymaintaining two axially spaced threaded portions with the threadsthereof out of phase. Another object of the invention is to provide asimple, practical and efficient method for this purpose.

The foregoing objects and certain advantages that will hereinafterappear, are realized in the, method that is described in detail below incon- 'junction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a formed blank for a lock-nut embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section of the same; 7

Fig. 3 is a plan of the blank after further fabrication;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 5 is a plan of a completed lock-nut;

Fig. 6 is an axial section thereof;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified form of locknut;

Fig, 8 is a longitudinal section of the same;

Fig. 9 is a plan of another modified form of the lock-nut; and

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of the same.

The blank illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 includes a hexagonal body portionl and a cylindrical extension 2 at one end of the body portion. The bodyportion-is bored as at 3 and the cylindrical extension 2 is a wallsection of considerably less thickness than the thickness at the bodyportion I. The-cylindrical portion extends from adjacent the outer edgeof the body portion of the nut.

The same blank is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. After the blank of Fig.1 has been machined, the wall section of the cylindrical portion 2 isnotched as at 4. In the blank illustrated, the wall section 2 is notchedat six places equally spaced angularly about the axis of the nut. Thisnotching is accomplished during the construction of the nut by a punchwhich moves in radially of the axis of the nut and shears the metalalong the edge of the notches in the manner of a punch press. Thenotching of the wall section 2 provides, in the illustrated blank, sixstrips 5 equally spaced through equal angles about the axis of the nut.These strips constitute the Wall section of the extension 2 in the blankafter the notching oper- 'ation.

After the extension 2 has been notched, the strips 5 are rolled orpeened over so that they are reversely bent as illustrated in Figs. 5and 6. They are rolled inwardly and the notching is such that the outeredges of the strips are caused, when the strips are reversely bent, toform a substantially continuous overhanging portion 6 havingsubstantially the same internal diameter as the body I of the nut. Thebent portion 1 of the strips 2 form a wall section that constitutes aresilient portion uniting the body portion l of the nut and the portion6 axially aligned with the body portion.

After'the strips have been rolled over to the shape illustrated in Figs.5 and 6, the nut is tapped. The tap is run through the body portion land the axially aligned portion 6 formed by the wall section 2.Subsequent to the tapping operation, the nut is compressed to move thealigned thread-' ed portion 6 towards the body portion and to posi-.

tion the aligned portion with thethread thereof out of phase with thethread of the body portion. The relation is illustrated in the nut inFig. 6. The amount of metal in the wall section constituting theresilient portion 1 of the nut is such that the section 1 has aresiliency so that the two threaded portions may be moved relatively inan axial direction an amount greater than the ordinary commercial threadtolerances, without the resilient portion losing its ability toefiectively exert a locking force. It is to be noted, that the relationof the several portions of the nut are such that upon relatively axialmovement of the threaded portions the resilient portion partakes of abending action.

When the nut is threaded on the bolt, the bolt first enters the bodyportion and then passes to the aligned threaded portion 6. The alignedthreaded portion 6 is moved by the bolt axially, and relatively to thebody portion I, until the thread of the aligned portion 6 is broughtinto such position that the thread of the bolt may enter into engagingrelation with the thread thereof. This movement effects a bending actionin the wall section constituting the resilient portion which tends toreturn the aligned portion 6 to its normal out of phase position. Thistendency of the resilient portion 1 causes the thread of the body of thenut to be drawn into surface engaging and frictional contact with thethread of the bolt entered therein. The forces so exerted by theresilient portion and the frictional engagement of the surfaces of thethreads thus caused is sufiicient to prevent rotation of the nut on thebolt under action of forces resulting from vibration and shockordinarilyencountered in service.

The nut illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 likewise includes a body portion 8having the load-carrying threads therein, an .aligned tapped portion 9and a resilient portion In. In this nut, the rolled over wall sectionforming the resilient portion Ill and the aligneditappedportion 9 iscontinuous .or unbroken. 'It is, however, reduced in thickness at thesection forming the resilient portion.

In making this nut the cylindrical extensioncf a blank such as thatillustratedxin Figs, :1 and2 is rolled over as indicated in Fig. 7. Thewall rof the extension is of a thickness sufiicient to receive a threadand form a continuousthreadedsection. After the extension :is rolledover-the wall section of the resilient portion is of a thicknessindicated by the broken line H. An axial "moving, form-cutting toolisutilized to reduce the wall section :of the :resilient :portionby'removing the portion between the broken line H and the solid linedthe resilient :portion iii. Next the ."nut is tapped,ith'etaprbeingmunithroughthebody :porticn and dzhe (aligned portion '19. Thenthe "nut is compressedaxially to throw the :thread :of itheali'gn'edportion vnut "of phasewwith the thread fot "the body portion. 'Thethickness "of the wall of Itheresilient "portion :is reduced as aboveidescribed an :amount'zto provide the desirable rev 'siliency.

.As'thetturrre'd infportion :ofithe extensionistre- :du'ced in diameter,the wallzthickens. Thus, the

"Wall section of the extensionrmay bermade thinner than that required tohold atthre'adiand the .inturne'd portion will :be lthick "enough'tohold a thread.

in Figs. \9 and d 0, :a nut is tillustratedrin' which the resilientportion isslotted after the :cylindricalextensionihas been rolled over.'Thisnut includes aib'ody portion I32, ;an aligned tapped .por-

ti0n If 3 and-a :resilient'porltion M. The resilient Cpor-tion consistsof :a series v.01? strips :symmetriman (disposed labOutTth'eIaXiS andextending beitween the body portion :and 11116 :aligned :tapped:pnrtion.

:blan'k such a as i that illustrated :in Figs. :1 :and 2 isutilized:inxniakingthis ."nut. The :cylindrical extension is rolled:over to -form ith'e raligne-d porltion After the cylindrical"extensionis :rolled 1 over, -a :series :of (cutters :are moved zin :ra'dially,putting a series of :.slots 1H5 iandthussfonningzthe strips 1 5' that;make up theresilientportion. The 'nut is'then tappedand compressed tothrowthe '-'-thread'sof thetwo 'tappe'd'portions I out of phase.

'When a boltiis entered in J the finished nut, it is threaded throughthe body .portioniand iengages thei-alignedthreadedzportion. iTherboltforces the 'ialigne'd threaded: portion a-Way fromithe body of thenutiuritil the'ithread thereof is brought :into 1 t position to 'engagethe thread of the bolt. The resilint portion, which is expanded,:partaking (of I aben'dingraction,=" endeavors: to re-establish the:normal=- out-fof pha'se relation of: theztwo'threaded portions and insofioing Fefit-Z'Cts a force which muts. In each of the rconstructions,there :is

formed a cylindrical extension on the end of the body of the nut. Thisextension is rolled over to form the resilient portion and the smallertapped portion. The metal of the resilient portion is reduced in variousways to secure the desired resiliency.

From the foregoing description of the making of the threaded lockingdevices illustrated in the :drawingafit will be seen that by thisinvention there is provided a method for making such threaded lockingdevices that are especially suitable for nuts of the smaller sizes. Alsothe rmethod'iis :suitable zfOr making such devices in large quantitieson automatic machinery.

It .will be obvious that various other modifica- *tions andchanges inthe details of the steps of 'the imethod described may be made by thoseskilled in the art within th principle and scope or the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

:I claim:

:1. Thermethod :f or making a @threa'ded locking :device cof the typedescribed which method inicludes'fforming the :body ,portion of the.nut, .forming a-series "of-strips :at :onerendof the body .:por tion,reversely bending the :strips to produce :a section axially aligned withthe body portion :and :o'f substantially the same internal diameter,tapping the 'nut, and thereafter ia'gain bending the strips.

.2. The .method :for imaking anthreaded iIQcking :device .of :the typedescribed which :method rin- :cludcs iforrning :the :body portionof :thenut with ea .Wall ssection extension at :oneend :thereohre- :versely:bending :the wall section :to produce a portion axially aligned withthe :body portion :and of substantially'the-same internal diameter,tapping the nut, and thereafter again bending :the :wall. section.

3. The method for making :a threaded locking Idevice of the type:describedwhich method includes forming the body portion with a wallsec-.ti'on extensionat one .end of the body portion cutting the wall sectionto form a plurality of strips substantially symmetrically disposed aboutthe axis-of theinut, ,.reversely bendi-ng thestrips to produce a:portion axially aligned with the doody portion and-ofsubstantiallyit-he same internal diameter, tapping the body and alignedportion ofithe nut, and :thereafter again bending the strips :toposition the aligned portion with "portion o'f the wall section atspaced sections,

'tappingthe'body and aligned portions, and thereafter ccrnpressing the'bent wall section'to-posi- "tion the aligned portion with the threadthereof out-of-phase witn -the thread of the'body por- -*tion.

;Th-e methodformakings'a threaded locking deviceof the type describedwhich methcd includes forming a nut'bo'dywith a cylindrical extension atoneendthereof,=reversely and inwardly bending the extension'to producea-pc-rtion ax- "ially aligned :with and "ofsubstantiallythe sameinternal diameteras the body, reducing the thickness of thecurvedportion-of the-extension, tapping the body and aligned portion of theextension, and thereafter compressing the nut.

6. The method for making a threaded locking device of the kind describedwhich method includes the steps of forming a body portion with an axialopening therethrough and a relatively thinner wall section extendingfrom one end thereof, reversely bending the wall section to produce aportion substantially axially aligned with the axial opening through thebody portion, and tapping the body and aligned portions.

7. The method for making a threaded locking device of the kind describedwhich method includes the steps of forming a body portion with an axialopening therethrough and a relatively thinner wall section extendingfrom one end thereof, reversely bending the wall section to produce aportion substantially axially aligned with the axial Opening through thebody portion, tapping the body and aligned portions, and thereaftercompressing the device to position the 5 REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 1,777,201 Haddick Sept. 30,1930 2,226,935 Luce Dec. 31, 1940 2,289,828 Danforth July 14, 19422,225,181 Hinds Oct. 7, 1941 15 472,465 Plummer et a1 Apr. 5, 18921,123,505 Eilers Jan. 5, 1915 1,885,459 McDonnell Nov. 1, 19 32 FOREIGNPATENTS 20 Number Country Date 1,649 Great Britain Jan. 23, 1903alignedportions with the thread thereof out-ofphase with the thread ofthe body portion.

RICHARD W. LUCE.

